Basic Law: The Knesset
חוק-יסוד: הכנסת
Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More
This English text was translated from the official Hebrew using a range of translation tools, and it undergoes ongoing checks and updates. It is not a certified translation.
Despite these checks, it may contain errors, omissions, or imprecise renderings of legal terminology and cross-references, and it may not yet reflect the latest amendments. It cannot be relied upon as a legal text.
The Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) and on the Knesset website is the sole authoritative and legally binding version. In any discrepancy, the Hebrew text prevails.
This translation is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For use in legal proceedings, request a certified Expert Legal Opinion.
Nature§
The Knesset is the house of representatives of the State.
Place of Session§
The place of session of the Knesset is Jerusalem.
Composition§
The Knesset upon its election shall consist of one hundred and twenty members.
Electoral System§
The Knesset shall be elected by general, country-wide, direct, equal, secret and proportional elections, in accordance with the Knesset Elections Law; this Section may not be amended except by a majority of the members of the Knesset.
Right to Vote§
Every Israeli citizen who is eighteen years of age or older is entitled to vote for the Knesset, unless a court has deprived that person of this right by law; the Elections Law shall determine the date on which a person shall be considered to be eighteen years of age for the purpose of exercising the right to vote for the Knesset.
Right to Submit a List of Candidates§
A list of candidates for the Knesset shall be submitted by a party only; the modes of association and registration of parties and the conditions for submitting a list of candidates shall be determined by law.
Right to Be Elected§
"actual imprisonment" means the aggregate of all periods of actual imprisonment that the convicted person must serve consecutively, even if imposed in different sentences, including a suspended sentence that has been activated;
"offence" means each of the offences for which the person was sentenced to a penalty of actual imprisonment.
Restriction on Candidacy of a Knesset Member Who Has Defected from a Faction§
"defection from a faction" includes voting in the plenary of the Knesset otherwise than in accordance with the position of the faction on a matter of a motion of confidence in the Government or a motion of no-confidence in it; however, such a vote shall not be considered a defection if the member of the Knesset received no consideration whatsoever for his vote;
"consideration" means directly or indirectly, by promise or future undertaking, including the assurance of a place on a list of candidates for the Knesset, or the appointment of the member of the Knesset himself or of another person to any position.
Who May Not Be a Candidate§
The following shall not be candidates for the Knesset:
unless they have ceased to hold the office or position referred to before the date for submission of lists of candidates for the Knesset, or, if an earlier date has been prescribed by law, before that date.
Prevention of Participation in Elections§
Term of Office of the Knesset§
The term of office of the Knesset shall be four years from the day of its election.
(Repealed — תש״ף)
Date of Elections§
The elections to the Knesset shall be held on the third Tuesday of the month of Heshvan of the year in which the term of office of the outgoing Knesset expires; however, if the preceding year was a leap year, the elections shall be held on the first Tuesday of that month.
Extension of Term of Office§
Election Day – Day of Rest§
Election day shall be a day of rest, but transport services and other public services shall operate as usual.
Publication of Election Results§
The results of the elections shall be published in Reshumot (Official Gazette) within eight days of election day.
Convening of the Knesset§
The Knesset shall convene for its first sitting, after the publication of the election results, within fourteen days of election day at a time to be determined by law, unless another proximate date has been prescribed by law on account of a day of rest, a festival, a holiday, a memorial day, or proximity to one of them, or on account of the intermediate days of a festival.
(Repealed — תשס״ו)
Opening Sitting§
The procedures of the opening sitting shall be determined by law, and they shall express the character of the State of Israel and its heritage.
Oath of Allegiance of a Member of the Knesset§
"I undertake to be loyal to the State of Israel and to faithfully fulfil my mission in the Knesset".
Failure to Declare§
If the Speaker of the Knesset has called upon a member of the Knesset to take the oath of allegiance and the member has not done so, the member shall not enjoy the rights of a member of the Knesset for as long as the member has not declared.
Failure to Declare Due to Dual Citizenship§
If a member of the Knesset holds an additional citizenship that is not Israeli, and the laws of the state of which that person is a citizen permit release from that citizenship, the member shall not take the oath of allegiance until that person has done everything required on his part in order to be released from it, and the member shall not enjoy the rights of a member of the Knesset for as long as the member has not declared.
Immunity of Members of the Knesset§
Members of the Knesset shall have immunity; particulars shall be determined by law.
Immunity of Knesset Buildings§
The buildings of the Knesset shall have immunity; particulars shall be determined by law.
Rules of Procedure and Standing Orders§
The Knesset shall determine its rules of procedure; insofar as the rules of procedure have not been determined by law, the Knesset shall determine them in its standing orders; so long as the rules of procedure have not been so determined, the Knesset shall act in accordance with its accepted usage and practice.
Speaker and Deputies§
Acting Speaker of the Knesset and Speaker of the Knesset in an Acting Capacity§
Committees§
(Repealed — תשע״ו־3)
Committees of Inquiry§
The Knesset may appoint committees of inquiry, either by empowering one of the permanent committees or by electing a committee from among its members, in order to investigate matters determined by the Knesset; the powers and functions of a committee of inquiry shall be determined by the Knesset; every committee of inquiry shall also include representatives of factions not participating in the Government, in accordance with the balance of power among factions in the Knesset.
Status of a Minister and Deputy Minister who are not Members of the Knesset§
A Minister or Deputy Minister who are not members of the Knesset shall, for all matters relating to the Knesset, have the same status as a Minister or Deputy Minister who are members of the Knesset, but shall not have the right to vote.
Quorum§
The Knesset shall deliberate and decide with any number of members, unless the law provides otherwise in that regard.
Majority§
The Knesset shall decide by a majority of votes of those participating in the vote, with abstentions not being counted among those participating in the vote; the rules of voting shall be determined in the standing orders; and all of the foregoing subject to any other provision of law in that regard.
Sittings§
Sittings of the Knesset shall be held at its seat, but in special circumstances the Speaker of the Knesset may, in consultation with the Deputy Speakers, convene the Knesset at another place; sittings of the Knesset are held on weekdays.
Public Sittings§
The Knesset shall sit in public.
Publication§
The proceedings of a sitting of the Knesset and the statements made therein — their publication is unrestricted and does not entail criminal or civil liability.
(Repealed — תשנ״ה)
(Repealed — תשנ״ה)
Sessions§
Provisions regarding the dates of the sessions of the Knesset and regarding the convening of the Knesset outside a session period shall be determined by law.
(Repealed — תשס״א־4)
(Repealed — תשס״א־2)
Dissolution of the Knesset§
The Knesset shall not decide to dissolve before the end of its term of office, except by way of passing a law for that purpose, by a majority of the members of the Knesset.
Date of Elections Following Dissolution of the Knesset§
The law on the dissolution of the Knesset shall include a provision on the date of elections to the following Knesset, which shall be not later than five months from the day of the passing of the law.
Term of Office of the Knesset Following Dissolution§
Should the Knesset decide to dissolve, the term of office of the following Knesset shall be until the nearest month of Cheshvan following the completion of four years from the day of election.
Dissolution Due to Failure to Pass a Budget Law§
Continuity of the Knesset§
The outgoing Knesset shall continue to serve until the convening of the incoming Knesset.
Extension of Validity of Legislation§
Any legislation whose validity was due to expire within the last two months of the term of office of the outgoing Knesset, or within four months after the Knesset decided to dissolve, or within the first three months of the term of office of the incoming Knesset — shall remain in force until the end of the said three months.
Remuneration of Knesset Members§
Knesset members shall receive remuneration as prescribed by law.
Resignation of a Knesset Member§
A Knesset member may resign from office; the resignation shall be effected by personal submission of a letter of resignation by the resigning member to the Speaker of the Knesset, and if the member is unable to submit it personally — by transmission in the manner prescribed by the Rules of Procedure; the letter of resignation shall be signed on the day of submission or transmission.
Consequences of Resignation§
Where a Knesset member has submitted a resignation, membership in the Knesset shall cease forty-eight hours after the letter of resignation has reached the Speaker of the Knesset, unless the member has withdrawn the resignation before that time; if the said period ends on a day of rest, its end shall be deferred to the following day that is not a day of rest, all as shall be prescribed by law.
Lapse of Membership or Candidacy§
A Knesset member or a candidate for the Knesset who has been elected or appointed to one of the positions whose holders are disqualified from being candidates for the Knesset — membership in the Knesset or candidacy for the Knesset, as the case may be, shall cease upon election or appointment to one of the said positions; for this purpose, "candidate for the Knesset" means a person whose name is included in a list of candidates for the Knesset, from the day of submission of the list until the day on which that person's term of office as a Knesset member commences.
Termination of Membership of a Knesset Member§
Suspension§
Termination of Knesset Membership of a Minister or Deputy Minister§
Substitution of Knesset Members§
Stability of the Law§
Notwithstanding anything in any other law, emergency Regulations shall not have the power to alter this Law, to suspend it temporarily, or to make it subject to conditions.
Entrenchment of Sections§
Section 44 or this section may not be amended except by a majority of eighty Knesset members.
Application of Entrenchment§
The provision of section 45 shall also apply with respect to amendment of section 9a(a).
When a Special Majority Is Required§
The majority required under this Law for the amendment of sections 4, 9a, 34, 44 or 45 shall be required for decisions of the Knesset plenum on the first reading, the second reading and the third reading. For the purposes of this section, "amendment" — whether express or implied.
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